The city of Los Angeles has settled a lawsuit field by six African American students at the University of Southern California against the Los Angeles Police Department for just under half a million dollars. The suit, alleging excessive force, stemmed from an end-of-the-school-year party in May of 2013. As written about in June, the students
“ … who were enrolled at the University of Southern California, had been attending an off-campus party when a noise complaint was made. Members of Los Angeles’ finest showed up with helmets and batons and cleared out the party. The students alleged that a similar party across the street attended by predominantly white students received no such response. In fact, the students say, students attending the mostly white party were directed to stay inside the house as the police cleared out the other party.”
According to the L.A. Times, the jury in June found
“ … in favor of several of the students, determining that some of the officers used excessive force, did not have probable cause for an arrest and acted with malice. LAPD Officer John Carlyle was found to have used excessive force on [student Christian Sutton who was videotaping the officers]. Jurors also found that Carlyle had no probable cause for the arrest and acted with malice. Sgts. Boris Washington and Brandon Rockett were also found to have used excessive force and to have acted with malice. Jurors, however, did not find that officers acted with racial bias. After the verdicts, the city agreed to settle the case.”
“Neither the city attorney’s office nor the attorney for the students could be reached for comment.”